North Pole stables
by Sand n' Sable
Summary: Charlene and Bill are going on a cruise around the world for their 2nd honeymoon but Bill takes her away for a side trip.


**Well, I know the title of the story, "North Pole Stables" gives the plot away but, I think you will all enjoy this...in my story 'Designing Characters', I had Charlene's husband, Bill, retire from the Air Force and they are going on a round the world cruise. Bill takes Charlene on a side trip! Sit back, read and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer-I, Sand n' Sable, do not own in any way rights to the show, that belongs to the Bloodworth-Thompson's!**

**This is my Christmas gift to you all!**

Bill was holding Charlene's hand and he was leading her someplace...they were walking in a winter wonderland...snow was all around them...tall pine trees grew in the background, snow laid on the branches, grey skies was above only adding to the beauty of the place, there wasn't that many wildlife around but occasionally a bird might come and a arctic fox might walk across the ground, looking for food.

Both of them were dressed in warm clothes but Charlene blended in with the background wearing nothing but white, a beautiful white jacket, white gloves with a small red band around the cuffs then white blue jeans and white knee-length fur-lined boots but around her eyes was a midnight black scarf. Charlene then asked Bill,

"What is going on Bill? I thought we were going on a cruise but before I knew it, you whisked us both off to an airport, we got on a jet; reminded me of the song _'Leaving on a Jet Plane', _you remember that song Bill? I remember hearing it for the first time in junior high at the spring dance with Harvey Mickelson. His name sounds like Mickelson but it isn't..."

Bill rolled his eyes then just smiled, shook his head then said, "Charlene, we're here."

Bill took the blindfold off Charlene's eyes and she saw a magical sight...over to her far left was a huge open stable but directly in front of her was "elves", little people wearing elf costumes, brushing down reindeer's , a Christmas tree in the corner of the yard that was brightly decorated.

She covered her mouth to keep from yelling out and she walked to a brightly lit light pole with a snowflake hanging from it, she looked around then she saw a wooden house that was decorated with Santa's face on it, Christmas bells adoring it. She saw a realistic statue of a squirrel "sniffing" the poinsettia flowers on the left side of the door. Up in the right corner , beside the door was a little wooden box with a faux candle in it helping to add to the atmosphere.

She turned to Bill with a huge, childlike grin on her face and tears spotting her eyes and he asked, "Do you like it?" Knowing full well she did but he wanted to hear the words.

Charlene started to speak but her voice cracked then she took a deep breath then said, "I love it. What...I thought..."

Bill smiled then walked over to her then said, "I wanted to start the trip off right for us, I know we have been to Alaska but we never could really enjoy this, this is our time Charlene."

She then reached for him and gave him a kiss then she turned her head then asked, "What do we do? Walk around?"

He smiled then said, "Oh no, we are going for a sleigh ride."

Charlene looked confused then she looked around and the only sleigh she saw was Santa's sleigh that was full of toys and wasn't hooked up to any horses or reindeer. She looked at Bill then out of the corner of her eye, she saw it coming. One large Clydesdale horses pulling a fantastically huge decorated sleigh ride...It holds two people, painted forest green with thin white stripes carefully outlining it. Two lanterns on either side of it, a little step-ladder at the door, a green wreath that was made of real pine branches tacked on it and a small bell at the front of the sleigh.

Charlene turned to Bill and he slightly took her hand and went to the sleigh, the driver got down, opened the door then they went in then he handed them a thick, red blanket for them. Bill carefully tucked it around Charlene them himself then he signaled to the driver that they were ready. They ride around looking at all the sights of a beautiful state that Alaska is. Just then their driver said, "Sir, ma'am, look up."

They look up and see a flock of birds in a side V shape flying in the sky and the guide said, "That's the Arctic Tern up there, most of our birds up here fly south except for the Ravens and ptarmigan."

Charlene looked up and she softly said, "They are beautiful."

The guide looked at his watch then said, "If you don't mind waiting twenty more minutes in this cold, the 'Aurora Borealis' will be in sight then."

Charlene looked at Bill then said, "Oh, I would love to see that!"

Bill nodded his head then said, "So we will, I just wish there was more to keep us warm."

The guide turned his head, he had on a straw cowboy hat and a five o'clock shadow that reminds you of the old-time cowboys and with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Well sir, if you'll open that little door , you might find something to help you."

Bill looked at Charlene, then leaned over and opened the door to see two hot chocolate mugs and a silver thermos full of something. He opened it and the air was instantly filled with the aroma of rich coffee then he said, "You think of everything don't you?"

The kind stranger smiled, tipped his hat then said, "I try. I usually don't show people that, save it for myself because they rarely want to stay out here and ride in this cold but you two deserve it."

Bill hands her the cup than Charlene asked, "What's your name?"

"People around here just call me Adam, you do the same."

Bill sits back with his coffee in hand then said, "You said like you are a southern man."

Adam nods his head then said, "Louisiana born and bred."

Charlene said, "We're from Georgia. Oh, I'm Charlene and this is Bill."

Adam turned fully around to shake Bill's hand then Bill asked, "What got you up here Adam?"

Adam looked up at the dark northern sky then he said with a natural slow southern drawl,

"Just out on a Santa mission."

Charlene and Bill looked at each other with a grin then both took a sip of their hot coffee then looked around at the scenery around them then they heard Adam say, "Look up ma'am and you'll see one of the best things in creation."

Charlene looked up and she saw this amazing thing, green lights dancing in the sky, making magical movements. Charlene gasps and Bill whistles the Charlene said, "I just can't get over the way they dance."

Adam takes off his hat and holds it against his chest than Charlene said,"That's the first time you took off your hat, you remind me of someone...oh, I know, you look like that guy on _Merlin_, the one who plays Prince Arthur doesn't he?" Bill looked at Adam and said, "He sure does."

Adam nods his head then said, "Thank you ma'am."

Charlene looked back up at the sky, watched the colors as they move then Adam said, "The Cree nation calls them 'Dance of the Spirits."

Charlene smiled then said, "Gee, that's neat." Bill then said, " I heard one time that the Aurora Borealis got its name after the Roman goddess of Dawn and the Greek word for the north wind."

Charlene kicked her feet up like a little girl then she said, "I just don't know how this night could be any better."

Adam and Bill share a knowing glance with each other than Adam put his hat back on then he said, "We better get going folks, looks like snow coming."

Charlene turned to Bill then said, "Oh, I think kissing in the snow is fun."

They share a quick kiss then Adam picked up the horse's reigns, snaps them then said, "Let's get going Mouse."

Charlene raised her head then asked, "Mouse?"

He nodded his head then said, "Might as well name one of the biggest animals on earth after one of the smallest."

He grinned as he kept driving and Charlene enjoyed the ride back with her husband then Adam with Mouse, pulled up in front of Santa's workshop and the stables then Bill gets up, helps Charlene down but he just stands there. Softly, snow begins to fall then he said to his wife, "You asked if this night could get any better?" She just looks into his piercing blue eyes, nods her head silently then watches as he gets down on one knee then asked, "Charlene, would you do me the honor of renewing our vows?"

She couldn't hold her tears back anymore, they came springing from her eyes like a waterfall then she nodded her head yes then they hugged. When she let loose, she looked at Adam standing by Mouse then said, "You knew about this didn't you?"

He nodded his head, smiled and said, "Yes ma'am."

Bill smiled and she laughed then hugged him, then asked, "Oh, where will we go? I mean, to renew our vows? I don't know..."

Bill smiled then said as he raised his arm then said, "Well, I thought we would..." He snapped his fingers and white Christmas lights, dozens of them are seen hanging over them. Wrapped in nearby bushes, Christmas trees, hanging from poles. Everything just looks so beautiful, there is also red and white poinsettia scattered about and leading up to a small area.

She looked around in wonder then she said, "This is why we stayed so long out there."

Bill nodded his head then said, "Of coarse, do you think we liked staying out there freezing our buts off?" She laughed again then asked, "But who will we get to marry us?"

Bill then said, "Well..." He bends his head to the right and out comes Santa Claus in all his red suit glory, he even has a full beard and a red hat with a tiny gold bell hanging off. A tiny woman wearing a long red dress with a full apron on her dress with poinsettia decorating it and a white fur coat came out with him and one can only assume she's Mrs. Claus then Charlene excitedly asked,

"Santa's going to marry us?!"

Everybody chuckles and laughs then, "Santa Claus" said, "Actually, my name is Kirk Holland and this is my wife, "Mrs. Claus", Lauren."

Lauren waved to Charlene. Bill and Charlene hugged then Charlene asked, "But what am I going to wear?" Lauren stepped up to her then said, "Honey, you're wearing your outfit."

Charlene looked down at her clothes and realized that she was wearing nearly all white then she smiled and said, "Well, so I am but I wished I had a veil..."

Lauren turned and picked up a small wooden box from a child's rocking chair that was beside the door to "Santa's workshop" and opened it to show a beautiful short veil with a sparkling comb to go in the hair and she said, "We bring this out to help the women get married and now this can help you."

She took it out and placed it on Charlene's head then Lauren said, "We even give music."

Charlene looked around and the little "elves" come out of the shadows and one of the men come out and say, "We can't sing, but we are going to play you bells."

Charlene asked, "Bells?"

The elf looked at his fellow elves and they all rang their little bells then he said, "We can't play you a wedding song, Santa never taught us love song but I think we can play for you so if you are ready..."

Charlene turned to Bill who took her hand then they slowly walk up the aisle while the elves beautifully play "Sleigh Bells". They finally get to Kirk, or "Santa" then he said,

"We are gathered here today, under the sight of..."

He raised his arms to the heavens then said, "Creation , to bring together in more firm bonds of..."

Bill then said, "Bill and Charlene Stillfield."

Kirk smiled then said, "Bill and Charlene. Bill, you were asked once to love this woman, honor her , cherish her. Do you still those same vows?"

Bill looked at Charlene and with the snow still softly falling down, he took her hands, raised them and kissed them then said, "You bet I do."

Charlene had tears running streaks through her make up and she kept blinking then Santa asked her, "Charlene, you were asked to love this man, honor him and cherish him, Do you still make those same vows?"

Not taking an eye off of his still handsome face after all these years, she said in a very soft voice, "Yes, yes, I do."

Kirk and his wife smiled at each other than he said, "Then I still pronounce you man and wife and with all the power given in me by the state of Alaska, I give you my best wishes for a long life together."

Charlene and Bill stare at each other for a long time then they kiss like they never have before. Kirk and his wife clap while the elves yell then start playing "Sleigh Bells" again.

Charlene and Bill go to the sleigh that Mouse is still attached to and where Adam stands. Charlene remembered the veil than Lauren said, "Wait." She bought out her digital camera, took a picture then said, "I'll get your e-mail address from the information your husband gave us and I'll send you a copy. Now, don't worry where you'll be for your honeymoon night, Adam will take you to the local lodge. They are expecting you, they get honeymooners all the time but not to often couples who renew."

Charlene looked around then said, "Thank you all for helping make this night magical."

Lauren smiled then she said, "Christmas is magic."

Bill and Charlene smile then get in the sleigh and ride off with the elves still playing their bells. Charlene didn't know it but Adam put a wooden sign on the back of the green sleigh that said, "Married again for life".


End file.
